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Home , Celia Imrie, High Spirits (musical), Mabel Mercer, Max Jacobson, Rose Theatre Kingston

Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:25 Page 1

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY DECEMBER 2010

President: HRH The Duke of Kent

Vice Presidents: Barry Day OBE • • Penelope Keith CBE Lynn Fontanne, Noël Coward and Alfred Lunt receive Special at the 1970 ceremony in

or those gathering to join the Society at its annual birthday celebrations for Noël ( December 11th & 12th F in the US and 18th in the UK ) a special treat is in store on both sides of the Atlantic. There are literally only a handful of tickets left for the UK Annual Luncheon at The Garrick Club where members are in for a special treat. Lunch will be taken in the splendid dining room with its walls covered in portraits of the greats of British as the guest of actor Rodney Bewes best remembered, inevitably, as one of TVs ‘Likely Lads’ (for the benefit of US readers this was a series that was a huge success for all involved, not least the put-upon character, Bob Ferris, played by Bewes). In fact, as ever, his career has enjoyed far more breadth Siân Phillips than a single notable role. He has enjoyed a highly successful career in film, TV and theatre as an actor, writer and with his theatre company has recently taken his one-man version of Three Men in a Boat on tour around the UK. In his kind offer to host our event he promises a story about Noël. As he says, “ Everyone (in the profession) has at Rodney Bewes least one story about Noël. ” Following his successful appearance last year Robert Gardiner, a trustee of the Noël Coward Foundation and Chairman of Noël Coward Ltd., will read some verses by The Master . Our special guest Siân Phillips will lay flowers on Noël’s statue at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and join us at the luncheon. Following the meal she will entertain us in the large upstairs club room where accompanied on The Garrick’s famed Steinway she will sing songs taken from her show including some of her favourite Noël numbers. This promises to be a memorable event. If you have not yet managed to get a ticket please let Denys Robinson know as soon as possible by post at:

4 Parkside, Vanbrugh Fields, London, SE30 7QQ Tel: 02082 658 879 with refreshments. On Sunday, December 12th a celebrity email: [email protected] will be laying flowers on the Coward Statue at The Gershwin Theatre, after which there will be a luncheon and cabaret In the US preparations for the annual celebrations are entertainment at nearby Rosie O'Grady's ( rosieogradys.com ). complete, beginning with a screening at the Paley Center for Please contact Ken Starrett for further details on the US Media on Saturday, December 11th of The Noël Coward event at: [email protected] or at 212/877-4259. Story . This will be followed by a “meet and greet” reception We look forward to having you join us.

The NCS 2011 CAMBRIDGE CONFERENCE - is progressing apace • More information next time in HOME CHAT Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:25 Page 2

HOME CHAT COMES OF AGE

he Society is coming to the end of its tenth anniversary and looking forward to continuing its work to further knowledge and understanding of Noël and his T work. Since its inception the Society’s newsletter has become an essential component of what the society provides for its members. At times it has contained a considerable ‘Home Chat is one of the few amount of archive material that has journals I always read from helped people to understand the cover to cover.” significance of Coward in the history of 20th and 21st Century theatre and music. On other occasions our events have dominated the pages. In discussions with members it has become clear that many would like to see more information about our hero, his life and work and less space devoted to reports on past events that were attended by a relatively small number of members. In addition it has become clear that many members joined in order to find out more about their - and our - hero. In order to be able to do justice to these views the committee has been discussing the future role of Home Chat as part of a general debate on the way we operate and the new constitution and legal framework that is published with this edition. One of the results of these discussions is a decision to produce a quarterly magazine rather than a bi-monthly newsletter. It will still be entitled Home Chat and will contain articles on Noël, his works, his contemporaries and details of new publications, recordings, and events and productions as well as and editorial and information about future plans for the development of the society. The magazine will contain between 24 and 32 pages in full colour. News of forthcoming Society events will be sent to members in flyers or, if their publication dates coincide, as inserts in the magazine. This should ensure that information on planned events is sent to members in time for them to be able to book and attend them. We are well aware that for members who live far from London and New York there are few, if any, events that they can attend without enormous expense being incurred. We plan to start this new format in 2011. The new Home Chat Magazine will be published on the 1st February, 1st May, 1st August and the 1st November each year. In future editions we hope to feature a substantive new article on Noël, his works and/or a contemporary each quarter, written by a noted scholar or figure in the entertainment arts. Articles taken from our growing collection of archive materials will feature together with contemporary photographs and images. In the next edition, as part of our editorial feature, Stephen Duckham will be describing a regional approach to supporting the Society that will offer regional volunteers an opportunity to help the Society flourish with a minimum of time commitment. If any member has archive material they think should be featured then please send a scanned version to us (preferably scanned at 300dpi or sent by post as a greyscale photocopy). Your views and letters are always welcome so please let us know of anything of interest - we cannot guarantee to publish contributions but they are always welcome and will be seriously considered. Send all contributions to: The Editor, Home Chat, 29 Waldemar Avenue, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 6TB or by email: [email protected]

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THE NOËL COWARD READER arry Day and Knopf produce Coward tomes that lie more firmly in the hand than on the Bcoffee table and demand to be dipped into like a box of Macintoshes’ Quality Street. In this new result of Barry Day’s diligent research and Knopf’s fine layout and presentation there are some new delights that, to continue the analogy, deserve more than a passing chew. The whole is a great book to give to friends - friends who know one has an interest in Coward but cannot really understand why. When I first became interested in The Master it was his songs, and in particular his lyrics, that appealed and it took years for me to realise that his plays were worth looking at and, after an even longer gap, his verses and finally, yes, even his paintings. All are well represented here, except perhaps the art, with only two inclusions - but this is no pictorial exercise, with full texts and extracts to delight as well as new pieces to enjoy. This is not Coward regurgitated but Coward presented with scholarly love from someone who sees his message of respect for this formidable talent as part of a lifetime mission. This book prefaces an essential set of guides - Barry Day’s earlier Complete Lyrics , revised Theatrical Companion to Coward , Coward on Film , and Coward’s own diaries and autobiographies. All part of a room with many views. Here are scenes from Coward’s plays, The Vortex , , Private Lives , and Design for Living . . . from his film screenplays, Brief Encounter and the previously unpublished script for In Which We Serve . . . from his only published novel, Pomp and Circumstance , as well as four of his best short stories. Included, as well, is his verse, in which Coward reveals the “secret heart ” behind the surface wit of his more formal work. And here, too, are the lyrics of his sublimely Coward songs: “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” . . . “The Stately Homes of ” . . . “I’ll See You Again” . . . “Someday I’ll Find You” . . . “Mad About the Boy” . . . “Sail Away” . . . “Mrs. Worthington” . . . and much more that embodies what Coward hoped would be his epitaph: “He was much loved, because he made people laugh and cry .” Eddie Cantor said Noël Coward was “ the British George M. Cohan . . . The most brilliant contribution England ever made to American show business .” Page 3 Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:26 Page 4

The Noël Coward Reader is a must-have book for those Those who read The Noël Coward Reader will agree: this is who luxuriated in the collection of his letters; for those who a very Noël Coward sort of book. adore his work and those who are just discovering the delights of his writing. Barry Day was born in England and received his MA Kenneth Tynan said of Coward, “Theatrically speaking, it from Balliol College, Oxford. He is a Fellow of the Royal was Coward who took sophistication out of the refrigerator and Society of Arts (FRSA), a Trustee of the Noël Coward put it on the hob . . . Even the youngest of us will know, in fifty Foundation and was awarded the Order of the British years’ time, precisely what is meant by ‘a very Noël Coward Empire “for services to British culture in the U.S.A.” He lives sort of person.’ ” in New York, London, and Palm Beach. – twice Denys Robinson reviews two recent productions ’ve experienced Hay Fever twice this autumn, and on one Oratory – convinced as self-absorbed, more than a little vain occasion suffered from it. Two productions of Coward’s and very good at winding people up with a straight face. I ‘little comedy’: one amateur, one professional. One Each production needs to decide whether Judith Bliss was a convincingly portrayed two sets of people with very different truly good actress or an awful ham. There was no doubt at all values, was that ’s Bliss in the Haymarket well judged, production had been a star. ’s Bliss nicely timed Celia Imrie, Georgia Maguire suggested the more embarrassing reaches of am- and and Joshua McGuire dram, not because Imrie is not a fine actor, but entertaining. because this was evidently what Unwin wanted. The other It was funny, and got belly-laughs from the reduced almost audience – but it was not convincing. all the I warmed to the Oratory production in the characters to first five minutes because the playing of the crude brother/sister relationship (Amelia Martyn- caricatures, Hemphill as Sorel, Alasdair Townsend as Simon) introduced toe- convinced totally, both fond curling and fractious. Sorel is slapstick and struggling to throw off her was ‘thin’, bohemian upbringing ‘tenuous’ and ‘trivial’ (to use the words of leaving Simon comfortably press reviews after Hay Fever ’s opening night cocooned. So why does in 1925). Alarmingly, it was the misconceived Unwin costume his Sorel show that was the professional production. (Georgia Maguire) in a Stephen Unwin’s production ran at the younger version of her Rose Theatre, Kingston. Martin Amherst mother’s Camden Market Lock’s show was performed at the John tat? Sorel’s pining for McIntosh Arts Centre at the Oratory School in normality has brought down West Brompton. Unwin has an impressive for the weekend professional track record of directing plays and quintessential diplomat opera (though, tellingly, I could not find any Richard Greatham, played Coward in his CV) so it was baffling that he at the Oratory with utter could get Hay Fever so wrong. I don’t think conviction by Philip Noël. I Celia Imrie was necessarily miscast as Judith shall long cherish his Bliss. I do think she was mis-directed. portentous delivery of “Is As with several of Coward’s best-known this a game?” (shades of “A plays, the comedy, the wit and the fun arise handbag?”) from a clash of values; the Unwin’s production had

artistic and bohemian against Celia Imrie and Stephen Boxer a beautiful and utterly the cautious and convincing set with a conventional. Actors should ravishing glimpse of the never work for laughs in Thames at Cookham these plays; the humour through the French windows. The arises from the situations and Oratory’s set did little to boost its the wit is already in the lines. highly committed cast. If Unwin’s They must play the characters production had been as convincing as for real – or they don’t work. its set, it could have been a triumph. In both productions the By contrast, Amherst Lock’s cast writer father (David) – made the set quite unimportant. Stephen Boxer at Kingston and Richard Ritchie at the Denys Robinson Page 4 Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:26 Page 5

CABARET CONVENTION COWARD CELEBRATION

his year's Cabaret Convention in New York featured an Donald Smith and Angela Lansbury exceptional Friday evening of Noël Coward's music sung T by the cream of NYC's cabaret talent and supported by The Noël Coward Foundation who also donated this year's Noël Coward Cabaret Convention Award. Executive Director Donald Smith introduced an evening entitled If Love Were All that featured the following artists and the items they performed:

Christine Ebersole - Any Little Fish/Its only You; Matelot/ Come the Wild Wild Weather Nicolas King - You Were There Greg Eddleman - I'm No Good at Love; Alice Is At it Again Craig Rubano - Never Again Jennifer Sheehan (who won this year's first Noël Coward Cabaret Convention Award) - Mad About the Boy; Here and intimacy in a large space - no mean achievement. At the start of Now the show Donald Smith, Executive Director of the Mabel Sidney Meyer - Two Men About Town; Piccola Marina Mercer Foundation - and lifetime supporter and champion of KT Sullivan - World Weary cabaret makes his appearance at the rostrum - stage left - there Nancy Anderson - I Saw No Shadow On The Sea ; The is a general hush as he introduces and welcomes everyone and Coconut Girl outlines the treats that lie ahead. An award Simon Green (with David Shrubsole) - appears to be given each evening for outstanding Medleys including: Sail Away , London Marian Seldes and Klea Blackhurst contributions to the cabaret genre. This year saw Pride, I Travel Alone the presentation of awards on the opening night to Steve Ross - Don't Put Your Daughter on the distinguished American actress Marian the Stage, Play Orchestra Play Seldes , a co-director of The Mabel Mercer Sarah Rice - I'll Follow My Secret Heart Foundation since it was established in 1985. The Finale: Sarah Rice - Zegeuner Craig new Award of Appreciation citation was created Rubano & KT Sullivan Dear Little Café, for Ms. Seldes and was awarded to her by the If Love Were All and I'll See You Again. legendary Angela Lansbury , with whom she co- starred on Broadway in Terrence McNally's But this is only the menu and does Deuce during the 2007 theatre season. little justice to a perfect evening where the On the second evening, If Love Were All, artists rose to the opportunity to present Jennifer Sheehan was presented with the first Coward’s music in a variety of styles that Noël Coward Cabaret Convention Award , a featured both the comedy and the $5,000 award sponsored by The Noël Coward poignancy of his music and lyrics. Foundation. Foundation members, Alan Brodie For those new to the 3-day event at (Chairman), Barry Day, Geoffrey Johnson and Theatre in the Time Warner Alan Pally were amongst other Coward devotees building on Columbus Circle then a pause including numerous NCS members in the audience with Ken here to describe the complete event may be welcomed. Starrett and yours truly! Firstly a personal expression of thanks to Donald Smith On the third evening, Songs for a Saturday Night, young who provided me with entry to the evenings and showed star Nicolas King was presented with the Julie Wilson Award incredible generosity during my time at the Convention and at by Julie herself. Already a veteran performer, King has its associated celebrations - thank you Donald, you made my amassed major cabaret, Broadway, and television credits; he is year! 19 years old. The Convention evenings start early - at 6.00 pm - to These nights are truly splendid. To quote broadway.com : enable all of the artists who are appearing to go on to any evening performance commitments they may have - more of “In two decades-plus of such conventions, The Mabel that later. Mercer Foundation has set the highest standards for The Rose Theatre is a truly splendid setting for the shows. presentation of the cabaret repertoire. Their events encompass For us Europeans it has a strange Scandinavian design feel due the finest of both classic entertainers and the newcomers who largely to the presence of so much beautiful wood in the revel in past and present melodies and lyrics from the great auditorium and around the stage area. The stage itself looks popular songbook. As noted, The Foundation's like a sheet of gleaming black marble that acts as the perfect productions have been augmented by similar conventions all backdrop to the sparse set consisting of a classic Steinway over the United States, in England, and in other international piano, drum kit, a few stools and microphone stands - the locales. As a result, The Foundation has achieved a worldwide essential cabaret accompaniment kit - it already reeks of presence, and their annual Rose Theater concert series has “...quarter to 3 there’s no one in except you and attracted audiences from virtually every state of the union, as me...” well you get the idea! The venue succeeds in providing well as multiple foreign countries.”

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The opening night featured a breath-taking performance by show, if you wanted to produce an evening of Noël Coward the jazz great Barbara Carroll in her tour de force , A Suite of music on Broadway as a theatre show or concert you could not Songs for Stephen . This 22-minute medley of Sondheim's have touched the quality, richness and diversity of this Broadway compositions was specially arranged by Carroll in particular evening. More Cowardy Cream than Custard! honour of the songwriter's 80th birthday anniversary this year. Rumours abounded that Sondheim himself was in the Well my week in Manhattan was not quite completed and audience. two more shows were to add icing to the cabaret cake. Marilyn I was lucky enough to go backstage and meet some of the Maye is simply the best! Her easy style, rapport with the artists as they arrived. Christine Ebersole looked blonde and audience and sheer damn professionalism shine like a beacon stunning and echoed the excellence of her latest Coward CD in and ...damn it... gentlemanliness aside... I must say she is in her her songs during the Coward evening - someone told me her 80s... she has the energy of a young gazelle with all the wry wit age (as someone with the pretension of being a gentleman I and knowledge of the ages... ages of music that is, as she is the shall not reveal it) - “It cannot be true!” I cried. master of every style. If it is possible to have the gritty bite of a Simon Green and David Shrubsole arrived hot foot from saloon singer coupled with the panache of a concert performer foreign climes and added their Noël contribution with all of the she is it! This is my second visit to see her at the Metropolitan flair and brilliance we have come to expect from these Room. She is a what the British would call a National consummate Coward exponents. Treasure... of the cabaret world that is. I wouldn’t miss her for Steve Ross ‘New York’s Noël’ who always manages to the world. reproduce Coward’s comedy finesse whilst appearing to barely On my last day of this musical kaleidoscope in NYC I went break sweat (it must be all the cycling he does from venue to to the Oak Room at the Algonquin hotel to see an evening venue). hosted by KT Sullivan and friends called 1910 - It Was A Very Good Year with Valerie Lemon, David Donald Smith is noted for his stories and in the New York Lewis, Mark Nadler, Craig Rubano, Times he is quoted as he remembered the time in the 1970s Olivia Stevens, Jon Weber, Daryl Sherman and Peter and Will Anderson on when he visited a booker for “The Today Show” with clarinets and sax. It celebrated the three Mercer, who sat outside the office while the door was open. figures born in 1910, Artie Shaw, Frank Loesser and Kitty Carlisle with songs When Mr. Smith dropped the name of his client, the associated with them. booker snapped, “Is that old bag still around?” he recalled. Guests were Donald Smith and Craig Mr. Smith was so angry, he said, that he replied, “I’ll Rubano’s parents who were celebrating 50 years together. It was a wonderful last have Miss Mercer singing longer than you’ll hold down this night for me. The singing was superb and job.” Two years later, he said, “That man was selling hot Jon Weber’s piano playing simply awesome! (as my grandson would say). tubs in Los Angeles.” The duet of twins Peter and Will did Artie Shaw proud as part of an evening KT Sullivan - the alabaster-skinned cabaret goddess - and that had everything... and I got to sit next to KT as she waited Craig Rubano always offer intelligent and nuanced versions of for her cues. the Master’s songs and on this occasion excelled themselves. Thanks again to Donald Smith and everyone who made it KT’s version of ‘World Weary’ was deliberately laboured with such a perfect week for so many people. Only in New York one the subtle wearied expression and tone of the downtrodden, is bound to say. We simply do not have the numbers of arts and consummate timing to leave one fearing for her well- lovers living in the unaffordable centre of London to provide being. I first saw Craig (and KT) at an NCS supported the kind of colony who would appreciate such a diversity of performance at when they came across cultural riches. Most Londoners live in the suburbs and only the Pond with Karen Kohler. His rich baritone voice adds an come into the West End to see an occasional show and to the assured gravitas to Coward’s more poignant pieces - ‘Never city itself to work. When I make it to the West End it always Again’ was glorious! appears to me that it is only kept alive by the large number of Sidney Meyer is a unique performer. His mannered style tourists who flock to our ! God bless ‘em every one! adds comic meaning to the plainest chant and gave the Red Peppers number ‘Two Men About Town’ a whole new feel. His PS. Donald Smith told a story about a framed cine film cell ‘Piccola Marina’ added droll to Noël and brought the house he has of Snow White from the original Disney film that hangs down. on the wall of his apartment. For a joke he signed the cell Since I first saw her at last year’s convention Jennifer “Snow White” a visual quip that his visitors often appreciated. Sheehan has continued to impress. She has natural grace, an One day a lady visited him and was looking at the pictures on assured but gentle presence and she sure can sing - with a his walls. With a serious face she came up to him and looked beauty that matches her charming persona - she will go far! him straight in the eye and said, “You know Snow White isn’t Nicolas King is definitely America’s answer to Jamie real.” Cullum - he swings with a maturity beyond his years taking on Please support the Mabel Mercer Foundation and keep a Coward song that is not easy to deliver well, and makes it his cabaret alive across the globe! own! See Convention photos on YouTube at: Add great performances from Greg Eddleman and Sarah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjlO9CRbqW8&feature=pl Rice and the Coward evening was complete. ayer_embedded As I said to as many people as I could buttonhole after the John Knowles Page 6 Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:26 Page 7

FROM THE ARCHIVES ITEMS FROM THE DOMINIC VLASTO ARCHIVE

Cavalcade at Sadler’s Wells August 1995

In personality, Noël Coward reminds me more of one of the late Saki’s characters - Reginald or Clovis or Comus - than any other prototype I can call to mind. There is something freakish, puck-like, about the narrow slant of his grey-green eyes, the tilt of his eyebrows, the sleek backward rush of his hair. He is lithe as a fawn; and if you told him, with perfect truth, that he was one of the three best dancers in London, his grieved surprise at hearing of the other two would only be equalled his incredulity! Off the stage he never spoils an exit, nor wastes an entrance. Quite recently he turned up at an informal evening party, wearing full evening dress, only to discover that the rest of the party - mostly notabilities - were only “dressed” in the THE BOY DRAMATIST sense that they were covered. An Impression of Noël Coward “Dear Sappho,” he murmured reproachfully to his hostess, “why ever didn’t you let me know? (Daily Dispatch 3 May 1920 by Geoffrey Holdsworth) How uncomfortable you must all be feeling!” Stanley bell is producing a new light comedy entitled - “I’ll leave it to But he has another side besides that of the you!” at the Gaiety Theatre, , to-night. brilliant young man-about-town. I shall always If the audience will consult their programmes they will notice that Noël remember his childish high spirits when he was Coward, the author, is leading a double life; for he is also playing “Bobby,” staying with us last year in Cornwall. the juvenile lead. I think if he could he would lead an even more multiple Every night he used to stroll down the cove to life, for he has as many outlets and activities as a centipede has feet. an out-jutting headland, where with the moon for He went on the stage at ten years old, not being one of those who believe limelight, the sea for orchestra, and two or three in hiding their talents in a napkin. He has written a novel: “Cats and Dogs,” of us prone on the turf for audience, Noël used to as yet unpublished but soon to be dramatised. Also he has written and provide us with a complete variety entertainment composed numerous delightful lyrics - do you remember the haunting lilt of in which every “turn” was a perfect vignette; “Peter Pan has learnt to do the latest dance...” in “Tails Up”? While another passing with hardly a break from imitations of play of his, a four-act drama this time will shortly be produced in America. Henry Ainley and Elsie Janis, or a ‘concert at a Not bad for just twenty years old! seaside boarding house,” to dusky nigger Page 7 Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:26 Page 8

melodies, and an inspired simulation of Pierrot, love-lorn and that solid invulnerable core of patriotic sentiment which was disconsolate, with chalk-white face and sagging knees. one of his characteristics throughout his life. Even the lure of While a group of villagers, huddled together in awe, would America - which came later - failed to shake the true watch him from a distance, wondering perhaps who this formulations on which Coward’s melodic talent had been built, graceful mountebank, in his white sweater and peacock silk although it may decisively have influenced the style of the handkerchief knotted round his head, could possibly be. interior decorations. Musical ability was no stranger in the Coward family. The A TALENT TO COMPOSE parents were both musical, albeit in a ‘light, amateur sense’ (the father worked at one time as a salesman for Metzler’s and A Musical Tribute to Sir Noël Coward displayed the Mustel organs with a panache that impressed Sir by Christopher Palmer Henry Wood) and Noël’s uncle, Jim, played the organ in St Alban’s Church, Teddington; every August he would travel to If I may begin with a personal note. I belong to the immediate in order to deputise for Alexandre Guilmant at Notre post-World War II generation and cannot therefore be Dame. Noël, however, confused by a multiplicity of talents, numbered among the ranks of those who grew up with the never studied music seriously. lyrics and music of Sir Noël Coward, and who were intimately He received a grand total of two lessons at the Guild hall, familiar with the England of which he wrote - because they the second of which he fled after being advised of the embargo themselves were that England. I am therefore at a on consecutive fifths - “I left my teacher’s presence for ever disadvantage in that I cannot claim to respond to this music with the parting shot that what was good enough for Debussy with that familiarity and intimacy of feeling, that special and Ravel was good enough for me. This outburst of rugged empathy and sense of identification, which would be the indi vidualism deprived me of much valuable knowledge, and I prerogative of some body perhaps 30 or 40 years older, simply have never deeply regretted it for a moment.” because it isn’t a part of me in the same way, it hasn’t Coward never learnt how to write his compositions down contributed to the making of me in the way that (for example) properly, nor did he develop any real fluency at the keyboard; G & S contri buted to the making of Sir Noël Coward. His he himself admitted that only in E flat could he give the music was no longer “in the air”, “hap pening all the time” in impression of playing well - “A flat and B flat I can get away the late 50s and early 60s, nor was there very much to be with, but if I have to play anything for the first time it is always salvaged of the London he had celebrated in song so many to my beloved E flat that my fingers move automatically”. He times. Thus far, therefore, I stand on the outside looking in; but was dependent on others to transcribe and arrange his work, this in a great many ways is no bad thing. For one approaches and Elsie April - "a bird-like lady given to wearing remarkable an unknown quantity, one in connection with which one hats” acted in this invaluable capacity, from 1923 (the year of receives no advance warnings of any personal or emotional London Calling ) to the beginning of the Second World War. involvement, in a spirit both of critical receptivity and Gordon Jacob, who arranged and orchestrated Coward’s curiosity; one is prepared to react favourably or unfavourably, 1958 ballet London Morning , recalls: ‘the tape must have been but one is always prepared to learn. I have no real con ception a godsend to him since it made things so much easier from the of the ambiance of London in the 20s or of the prevalent tempo point of view of the professional musician he needed to employ and texture of life at that time, because I wasn’t born then; but to knock his tunes into profes sional musical shape. He from Coward’s words and music I can soak up as much of the composed naturally in E flat, and in the case of London atmosphere and flavour of that period as can be vicariously ex- Morning I had to do a lot of transposing. I also felt constrained perienced, and vis-à-vis the music itself there is no special to edit his harmonies to some extent. He detected some of these familiarity to breed either contempt or un critical adulation. It mutations but not, mercifully, all of them’. has to stand on its own two feet and be assessed rationally Irving Berlin is even more musically illiterate, his key board and dispassionately; for whatever the importance of Coward’s technique even more limited he can play only in F sharp major work taken en masse as a social document and as an (not in C major as Coward imagined) and a parallel suggests impressionistic portrait of a vanished era, I have to ask myself itself . . . or does it? Berlin is a lyricist and composer of genius whether I can take the same delight in the best of Coward as I and as such he has functioned almost exclusively; he could take in fine craftsmanship in any musical genre; and I find I easily have learned to read and write music, but evidently can. fearing the pure spring water of his inspiration might he all too Coward was born into a generation which, as he said, still easily contaminated by the dangerous thing which a little took light music seriously - which the present age does not, knowledge so often is. He jealously guarded spontaneity and much to its own detri ment. From earliest childhood, he said, instinct, leaving all the technical spadework to be done by ‘the lyrics and melodies of Gilbert and Sullivan were hummed others who, needless to say, were handsomely rewarded for and strummed into my conscious ness’ and one should also their pains. For Coward, on the other hand, one gains the remember that the musical Renaissance in England which had impression that lack of technical know-how was more a matter begun with Parry’s Pro metheus Unbound and gathered of necessity than choice; passionately involved as he was momentum with Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius also seemed to in so many diverse pursuits, he was obviously ear marked for nurture in its wake a quality of creativeness and invention in the theatre rather than for the concert hall and rightly decided the spheres of musical comedy and operetta which was. to concentrate on acting, writing, singing and dancing rather perpetuated in later years only by Ivor Novello, Vivian Ellis than on composing - “I was willing to leave the musical side of and Coward himself. Popular imports, of course, were my creative talent to take care of itself.” In fact if one wants to marketable commodities, then as now; but to Coward the bracket Coward with any other great composer-lyricist, he has native tradition as practised by Lionel Monckton, Paul Rubens, more in common with than with Berlin, although lvan Caryll and Leslie Stuart - with superb and unflagging Porter was musically more literate than either. professionalism - appealed most of all, doubtless because of Editor: More of this article next time! Page 8 Dec2010_Home Chat 19/11/2010 07:26 Page 9

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a great performer, and what it was really like to be part of the MGM “Dream Factory.” As Hugh enters HOMAGE A HOGAN ...... LYNNE CAREY DAY his 96th year, this could be America’s last chance to hear these stories from a living source. They are adly,we have to announce the passing of Jerry Hogan. full of his signature charm, grace, musicality, and For those who don't know, Jerry was the 52-year partner and friend poeticism. : The Boy Next Door, like S of Geoffrey Johnson. Hugh Martin himself, is a national treasure. Any true Coward fan knows of Geoffrey and his unwavering support and knowledge of all things ‘Noël’. “For any young person who has a passion to enter Jerry was also there through the years, side by side with Geoffrey. He into the performing arts, this is the ultimate book to was one of the honoured ‘family’ members Noël surrounded himself with read. Hugh Martin is the single most talented and in Jamaica and Les Avants. finest human being I know .” Jerry had a devilishly astute mind and sly sense of humour, a spot-on Tony Bennett perspective on situations and people. At any given Coward event you would find me sitting in a corner “Hugh is one of the greatest treasures we have in with Jerry swapping thoughts and laughs. the music industry. ” From a personal perspective I will miss him very much. Mickey Rooney Geoffrey's enviable urbane charm sometimes seemed to take the lead, but we all knew that Jerry was somewhere around, objective, supportive and smart. SONDHEIM ON COWARD Jerry Hogan was a man with a huge, loving heart - but he wouldn't On another note...last night Lynne (Carey Day) want you to know that ! and I went to the publishing party for Stephen Sondheim’s book Finishing the Hat . I’d sent him a God bless, Jerry. All sympathy to Geoffrey. copy of The Noël Coward Reader and he'd written to thank me, adding he hoped I wouldn't be upset HUGH MARTIN : THE BOY NEXT DOOR because of his criticism of Noël in his book. Hugh Martin - who wrote the music for HIGH SPIRITS - has just When I spoke to him, I assured him I wasn’t but I made him a bet. I said: published his autobiography. . . “Fifty years from now, when you, Noël and I are ugh is perhaps best known for the score for sitting on our clouds playing our harps and looking the 1944 film Meet Me In St. down, let’s see how many people are still singing HLouis with songs like “The Boy Next Door”, ‘Send In the Clowns’ and how many ‘I'll See You “The Trolley Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Again ’” Little Christmas”. At 96 he is the last of his We shook hands on it. generation of songwriters. Barry Day With High Spirits he got to know Noël and in his book has this to say about him... Editor’s Note: This is a quote from an interview Sondheim gave to Jude Kelly at the Royal Festival “His wit, the sharpest of any person I have ever Hall that gives a very clear idea of his “ intense known... his generosity, as infinite as his capacity to create laughter... the dislike ” of Coward as a lyricist: unexpected tenderness, the need to be loved, never (I'm only guessing) really requited...his feeling for the theatre, genuine and intense - he felt it The problem with Coward, he said after some was a place for magic, not for grinding axes or mounting soapboxes… hesitation, was that he was born poor, and so when his weakness in the area of casting, surprising in someone so intrigued by he writes about the rich, he does so with the personality... his enormous versatility - was there anything he couldn't outsider's sneer. Porter, on the other hand, was do? ...his greatness, more valid, I believe, than any of us realize... born rich and thus could treat his peers with good posterity will have the last word.” humour and kindness. Sondheim compared Barry Day Coward's "I've Been to a Marvellous Party" with Porter's "Well, Did You Evah?", both songs about Editor’s Note: Hugh Martin: The Boy Next Door is an enchanting jaunt parties, noting Coward's emphasis on deformity through the Golden Era of Broadway and the MGM musicals. This first- and ugliness, against Porter's stress on habits and hand account captures the energy and excitement of those special times, manners. He would have loved Coward to write a with eyewitness tales of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, lower-class musical. Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, Carmen Miranda, Lena Horne, Bea But the core of his point was that Coward never Lillie, Cole Porter, Noël Coward, Rodgers and Hart, Irving Berlin, Josh meant anything he wrote, whereas Porter was Logan, Vicente Minnelli, , and dozens more. Hugh recounts sincere. When Kelly pointed to a song like "Mad the origins of some of America’s most beloved songs, such as “The Boy About the Boy", which is fraught with Coward's Next Door,” “The Trolley Song,” and perennial favourite “Have Yourself suppressed homosexuality, Sondheim said that he a Merry Little Christmas.” Martin also reveals some secrets that only he may have meant the sentiment when he thought of could know: the truth about his so-called collaboration with Ralph Blane, the song but by the time he wrote the lyrics, it was his addiction to the drugs of the infamous Dr. Feelgood, Max Jacobson, synthetic. Coward was too in love with wordplay - how he was instrumental in giving Gene Kelly the opportunity to show “a masturbatory cycle” - whereas Porter used it in Broadway that he was a great choreographer in addition to already being the service of the song.

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Details of some productions, publications and events WHAT’S ON ? see www.noëlcoward.net and www.noëlcoward.com for more. . .

Evergreen Theatrical Productions Ltd and Lee Menzies Ltd present

KIT AND THE WIDOW • DILLIE KEANE in COWARDY CUSTARD

featuring the words and music of NOËL COWARD

Kit and the Widow Calling all Mad Dogs and Englishmen!

Britain’s best-loved cabaret artists Dillie Keane (from Fascinating Aïda) and Dillie Keane Kit and the Widow join forces to salute Sir Noël Coward and his ‘talent to amuse’ A smash hit in London and New York, this is the first major revival of the famous revue of The Master’s work Revisit excerpts from Coward’s best-loved comedies: P rivate Lives, P resent Laughter, B lithe Spirit… … interspersed with his most brilliant songs: Don’t Put Your Daughter on the Stage Mrs Worthington, A Room with a View, Poor Little Rich Girl, The Stately Homes of England, Mad about the Boy, I’ve Been to a Marvellous Party, London Pride, Mad Dogs and Englishmen… Nobody is sacred: tourists, aristocrats, stage mothers, young lovers, old bores – social climbers least of all!

More densely packed with entertainment than any show that has hit town for a long while Daily Mail A whole ravishing feast ... never ceases to amaze Evening Standard Enormous feeling and generosity

Provisional 2011 tour schedule Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Hall for Cornwall, Truro Tuesday 5 – Monday 11 April Friday 13 May Theatre Royal, Windsor Malvern Theatre Monday 16 – Saturday 21 May Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 April Kings Theatre, Southsea Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 May Sunday 17 April Civic Theatre, Chelmsford Theatre Royal, Lincoln Wednesday 25 – Saturday 28 May Monday 18 – Wednesday 20 April Opera House, Buxton Tuesday 31 May – Wednesday 1 June Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 April Opera House, Jersey Rose Theatre, Kingston Thursday 2 – Saturday 4 June Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 May In the next edition of Home Chat, there will be a special group Lighthouse Centre, Poole offer for members of the Noël Coward Society to see the show Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 May and meet the artists afterwards, at one of the venues closest to London – watch this space! Evergreen Theatrical Productions Ltd, 020 7592 9666

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THIRD ANNUAL PICCADILLY DANCE ORCHESTRA Home Chat is the newsletter of The Noël Coward Society, CAFÉ de PARIS BALL generously funded by with Michael Law’s Piccadilly Dance Orchestra The Noël Coward Foundation (www.pdo.org.uk) TUESDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2011 Organising Committee Act. Chairman: John Knowles ou are invited to “Foxtrot Your Way To Heaven” with the music of the great British Dance Secretary: Denys Robinson Bands at the Café De Paris, 3 - 4 Coventry Street, London W1D 6BL Treasurer: Stephen Greenman Y The PDO are offering a DISCOUNT for early booking and there are now THREE North American Director : methods for paying for your tickets (details below). We have had to increase the price slightly Ken Starrett to accommodate next year’s VAT increase, but hope that this won’t deter you from booking. US West Coast Liaison : Hoping that you can join us (book now to avoid disappointment!) Tel: 01233 612183 Kathy Williams Representative for Australia : Dress Code: Black tie or “period” preferred. Kerry Hailstone Reception at 7.30pm. Carriages at midnight. Representative for France : Hélène Catsiapis Unless otherwise stated all Early Booking Special Offer - until images and text are copyright December 31st 2011: £90 per person, to to NC Aventales AG include 3-course dinner, a half bottle of wine and reception drink. Letters to: John Knowles, 29 Waldemar Avenue, Please note that the price will increase to Hellesdon, Norwich, £100 per person from 1st January. NR6 6TB, UK [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 1603 486 188 The PDO offer 3 payment options 1. By Mob: +44 (0) 7515 356 067 cheque made out to “The Piccadilly Dance NCS news from the US Orchestra” compiled by Ken Starrett. Editor, design and production: Post to: 27 Caesar Avenue, Kingsnorth, John Knowles. Ashford, Kent. TN23 3PZ 2. By credit/debit Publication and distribution: card (please phone 01233 612183) 3. By Stephen Greenman credit/debit card on our website: Music correspondent: Michael Law Dominic Vlasto. Proofing: Kathy Williams and http://www.pdo.org.uk/performances.html Ken Starrett.

Michael Law and The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra at The Café de Paris Articles without a byline are by the editor. Contributions are invited from members. The editors reserve the right to edit all copy, images and decide on inclusion of items. Details included in ‘What’s On?’ are as received, with our thanks, from: Samuel French (Play Publishers and Author’s Representatives), Ken Starrett (US), Alan Brodie Representation (Professional Productions), NCS members and theatre companies.

For details of rights for professional productions: www.alanbrodie.com For amateur productions www.samuelfrench.com or www.samuelfrench- london.co.uk For publishing rights: www.methuen.co.uk THE NOËL COWARD SOCIETY WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS! For music rights: If you would like to join the Society please contact: www.warnerchappell.co.uk Stephen Duckham: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 2476 229 502 Our website: In North America contact Ken Starrett: [email protected] Tel: 00 1 212 877 4259 www.noëlcoward.net